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Siena University Athletics

Head Coach John Kenworthy takes the helm for the fourth season

XC/Track

Miller, Bauer Pace Saints to Strong MAAC Championship Showing

Oct. 31, 2015

Men's Results Get Acrobat Reader

Women's Results Get Acrobat Reader

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Siena Men's Cross Country ran to a fifth place finish and the women checked in eighth at the MAAC Championship hosted by Rider University Saturday afternoon at Rosedale Park in Pennington, N.J. Senior Nick Miller and junior Shannon Bauer each ran the fastest MAAC Championship men's and women's times in program history.

"Today was a great step forward for our program," said head coach John Kenworthy. "We had individuals on both teams step up and perform on new levels for this program. The team results weren't quite what we were hoping for, but just looking at the times our athletes ran today I don't think we could've possibly expected anything better from our athletes. It's a credit to the MAAC as a whole on how deep and competitive the league is becoming right now."

The men's fifth place finish tied for the program's best-ever (2004). Each of the Saints' top-10 finishers clocked in with the 10 fastest MAAC Championship times in program history.

Miller clocked in with a time of 24:31.73 to break the program's MAAC Championship record (26:20.09) by nearly two full minutes. His time was the third fastest 8K time overall in program history and fastest in 41 years. Additionally, Miller's 17th place individual finish was the highest in the program's MAAC Championship history.

"The men, and Nick Miller in particular, ran some times on this course today that surprised even me," commented Kenworthy. "We are so far ahead of schedule in building this men's team, and much of the credit goes to these seniors who have led the charge for four years now. We had high hopes for a top-3 finish, which we fell short of, so we still feel like there is much more to be done before we finish this season. This is the type of performance I expect we will be seeing from Siena for the foreseeable future."

Veterans led the record-setting day for the Siena men as senior Tom Higgins (19th -- 24:37.39) and juniors Paolo Fiore (37th -- 25:01.29) and Nick Cornine (40th -- 25:03.69) all finished in the top-50. William Randall became the first Siena freshman to break the 26-minute mark in an 8K, clocking in with a time of 25:22.30 to break his own freshman 8K program record by 42 seconds.

On the women's side, Bauer finished ninth overall to earn MAAC All-Tournament Team honors for the second straight season by virtue of finishing in the top-15. Her placement was the highest by a Siena woman in a MAAC Championship race since Brina Seguine came in eighth in 2007. Bauer became the first Siena woman to break the 22-minute mark in a 6K as her time of 21:39.18 broke not only her program record MAAC Championship time set last year by 35 seconds, but also her overall program record 6K time set earlier this month by nearly 31 seconds.

"Shannon has made her case as the best cross country runner in Siena history, and she's doing it with probably the best team in Siena women's history behind her," explained Kenworthy. "It's been a huge few years of improvement for the women's team. I'm excited to see how this performance today can translate to success at the upcoming NCAA Regional and ECAC Championship."

Senior Christie MacFarlane finished 29th overall, running the fourth fastest MAAC Championship time in program history (22:34.28). Freshman Sarah Forman (23:01.67) and sophomore Dominica Bleichert (23:12.88) also posted top-50 finishes in running the sixth and seventh fastest MAAC Championship times in program history respectively.

Additionally a total of 17 Saints were named to the MAAC All-Academic Team, reserved for student athletes who have reached at least sophomore standing and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or better. Men's honorees were seniors Taylor Davis, Sean Fogarty and Higgins, juniors Austin Bitzas, Eric Brower, Fiore and Shane Fiust-Klink and sophomore Chad Dashnaw. Women's selections included seniors Charlotte Brunjes, Kristen Lancto and Christie MacFarlane, juniors Bauer, Kelly Pasko, Annica Penn, Kelly Russo and Sydney Sericolo and sophomore Erin Morrell.

The Saints continue their championship season with the NCAA Northeast Regional on Friday, Nov. 13 at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass.

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Players Mentioned

William Randall

William Randall

Freshman
Eric Brower

Eric Brower

Sophomore
Chad Dashnaw

Chad Dashnaw

Freshman
Austin Bitzas

Austin Bitzas

Freshman
Nick Cornine

Nick Cornine

Freshman
Paolo Fiore

Paolo Fiore

Freshman
Shane Fiust-Klink

Shane Fiust-Klink

Freshman
Taylor Davis

Taylor Davis

Freshman
Sean Fogarty

Sean Fogarty

Freshman
Tom Higgins

Tom Higgins

Freshman
Shannon Bauer

Shannon Bauer

Fifth Year
Dominica Bleichert

Dominica Bleichert

Senior

Players Mentioned

William Randall

William Randall

Freshman
Eric Brower

Eric Brower

Sophomore
Chad Dashnaw

Chad Dashnaw

Freshman
Austin Bitzas

Austin Bitzas

Freshman
Nick Cornine

Nick Cornine

Freshman
Paolo Fiore

Paolo Fiore

Freshman
Shane Fiust-Klink

Shane Fiust-Klink

Freshman
Taylor Davis

Taylor Davis

Freshman
Sean Fogarty

Sean Fogarty

Freshman
Tom Higgins

Tom Higgins

Freshman
Shannon Bauer

Shannon Bauer

Fifth Year
Dominica Bleichert

Dominica Bleichert

Senior